Derringers - Any practical value or just a range toy?

[scaatylobo]

The discussion here is about derringers. It is not funny.

Eight score years ago, derringers compared reasonably well with other concealable firearms available. Some people carried a brace of two.

Today, however, there are numerous small alternatives that are safer, that contain more ammunition, that can be deployed more quickly and with one hand, and that can be fired a second time much more rapidly.

They represent much better choices for self defense.

Defensive scenarios in which derringers might suffice exist primarily as unrealistic fantasies conjured up for the purpose.

For a dose of reality, I suggest trying one out in a good defensive pistol course.

Right now I cannot remember any drill in which a defender might have succeeded with a derringer.

There are far too many instances of ACTUAL S/D shootings that ended with the threat of deadly force [ GUN ] or the firing of one or 2 rounds ,screaming DERRINGER !!.

Facts beat conjecture all the time.

The NRA front page of actual gun usage that ended well has enough "gun presented,threat ended" to fill a few hundred pages.

The very same goes for the actual firing [ not often a hit ] of a gun being fired and the threat ended.

Hope you see the point here,a gun [ ANY GUN ] can end a threat.

Key word being "can" not will.

As a youth I bet my life on the one word [ can ] ,and it paid enough dividends for me to be here !

 

[Kleanbore]

Derringers are not practical because there rare LCPs.

That's hardly the reason.

Yes, LCPs are a lot better, but their existence is not what limits the practical effectiveness of derringers for realistic self defense.

and yet....We will often see here that folk will say that LCPs are borderline irresponsible because there are LC9s.,,,Then, we'll have debate creep to more capacity

The question was about derringers.

My point quite clearly is that you can not effectively say that a Derringer is impractical, irresponsible or down right dangerous to the carrier (as has in fact been stated) just because someone, somewhere makes something subjectively or objectively *better*.

How in the world could the existence of something better possibly affect the safety of a derringer?

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

OK, I have read my posts again with as open an eye as possible and aside from changing "... the first post" to "... my first post" I can't see any reason for your excessively argumentative position to what is an individual's opinion and observation of others' posts.

So, barring my being able to ignore-button a moderator, feel free to assume I have no interest in any further input from you as regards my previous post to this point. Of course, you need not y permission to post but I'll be attending to none of it - relative to this line of nonsense.

Todd..

 

[Kleanbore]

There are far too many instances of ACTUAL S/D shootings that ended with the threat of deadly force [ GUN ]

would you ever consider carrying an empty gun for self-preservation?

It has never been necessary to use any of our fire extinguishers, but I choose the most effecive models I can.

 

[MedWheeler]

It has never been necessary to use any of our fire extinguishers, but I choose the most effecive [SIC] models I can.

For what some of us have spent on guns and ammunition "for defense", you could have a secondhand fire engine parked outside.

(What the hey, the thread's beat down anyway..)

 

[GEM]

I'm calling this one. Nothing to be added.